Music printing process and apparatus



Aug. 8, 1950 J. VICTOR ETAL MUSIC PRINTING PROCESS AND APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 21, 1947 99 NA. Mn 4 10A Ax N Auk WK mJY M I 1 wm YW h L 6%. N N mm I m E PI n n L\\ mm mm Nm W miw (fa/2n V5030?" A 8, 1950 J.'V|CTOR ETAL 2,518,

MUSIC PRINTING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Filed July 21, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 PVT/{Vz'aiar ([07272 Vz'ofar J. VICTOR ETAL MUSIC PRINTING PROCESS AND APPARATUS Aug. 8, 1950 Filed July 21, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 WE V50 Z07" Jo/zn V2030?" 9 M Patented Aug. 8, 1950 Musiolrnm'rmo rnoonss Y YABP'ARATUSK AND John Victor andWalter K. Victor; Abilene, Tex.

, 1 Applioationzlulyz 21c,f1947,:'Seria1l- -No.."7-62,3544- 6*Gl'aims. (01. 40-142) T'his-inventionurelates tc'ithe eat. of printing or producing music, and more particularly to an improved and. practical method and means for printing or producing, music.

In. the matter of printing, music, one. oi? the firsttsteps is the: proper setting up oi the notes and associated indications. isaccomplished in a, number of ways, including the; engraving ofpl'ates, and the photographing of. boards upon which, the music has, been placed by removable elements and then making up the. plates from thephotographs. The photographic process is. on the'order of. changeable exhibitors; where the the characters or elements are placed on aboard in; selected positions; However viewoi the great variations. in. the characters used, it has 4 been found impracticaland laborious to have separatexcharacters for every variation or oombination of-characters.) It is an object oi, this invention to, provide an improved method and apparatus which is 'sufliciently flexible so that all normal characte -variations may be'produced from changeable base elements having interlocking portions so that the combinationswill be locked together.

Another object of thisiinvention is to provide a base board having-ametal front on which the staff may be adjustably indicated and on which the characters may be adj'ustably and: removably positioned.

furtherobject of this invention is to'provide combinationa me-tal"stafi board'and magnetic character elements which will adhere by their magnetism to the metal many selected position.

A further object of this invention to provide improved characters or-'= elements: which are formedrout of plastic and to whiehare secured one, ozrmore: permanent magnets which wiii oi-feetadhesion I ofxthe characters to the staff board" and? holding oi the characters to the board whenthe latter isdisposed. in all-vertical 01" inch-nod or' inventedposition. The characters b'eing light in andthe base notenelements include: fragm ntary stair. lines which, will mergewith thestaffilines if the-notes are within the staff, but. which register on the-photograph if thenote is either above or below the stafi.

Alfurther object of this. invention is to pro vide in combination a stafi board and music I designating characterswhich may be: adjustably inventionconsists in the arrangemenh'combination' andde'tail's'. at construction disclosed ma weightawilli require oniy smailmagnets and the drawings'and' specification, and thenmore pars ticuiarly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, I

"Figure I is a-de'tafl. front elevationof awphotographing music board,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view-"taken on the-line #2. of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a. pian'vieW; partly broken/away; of one of, the note: or musiccharacters,

jE'igure 4..is a-fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3,,

Figure 5 is an end elevation of one of themusie characters or elements,

Figure.- dis a: iragmentarytransverse section or the music board,

Figure '1 is a plan of: one ofthe static-rods,

Figure. 8 asectional view taken onfithe line 8-& of Figure 7:,

Figure Qisaaetaikside elevation, partly broken away and ins sections of; anotherone; of? the: characters,

Figure 10 1s a. fragmentasy sectional: viewtaken on the line Inn-400i Eigure: 9.

Figure 1i is a bottomplan of another one: of the characters.

Figure 12 is: asectional view taken on the line. |2-l21 GfzEifilll-fi 1,

Eiguiie v13L atragmentary sectionai viewta keni on line |3---t3 of; Figure: 1,

Figure ll'isa plan view of anotherone of the music characters,

Figure 15 is a plan view of afifurthermusic character; and

Figure 16 is. a af'rag-mentary end, ot the staff board.

Figure. 1.7? isa plan iew of anextension acter ibarfor use with crescendoncharacter mom bers.

Referring the drawings, the numeral 20 designates generally a staff board which is formed of an outer rectangular frame 2|, a panel 22 inset in a groove 23 formed in the outer frame 2i, and a plurality of parallel spaced and longitudinally extending metal bars 24.

The metal bars 24 form a metal panel which, as shown in Figure 6, 'is inset in a recess 25 formed in the panel 22. The outer sides of the metal strips 24 are preferably coated black so that they will not photograph on a black and white photographic film. The panel 22 is formed with a plurality of lengthwise extending channels 26 which are disposed beneath the spaces 21 formed between the metal strips 24. Y

A staff line indicating rod 28 is rotatably disposed in the channel 26 and is of a diameter such that the adjacent lower corners of the bars or strips 24 will prevent the rods 28 from moving outwardly through the spaces 21.

One end of each rod 28. is formed with a sub stantially right angular handle adjusting member 29 so'that these rods28 may be manually rotated in order to present to the photographic film either a non-photographing coating 39 or aphotographing coating 3|. The coating 3!] which will not register on a black and white photographic film may be either red or black, whereas the film or coating 3! may be white so as to register as a black line on a black and white negative. In this manner the board 25 may be of a length substantially equal to one line of music and may have a width from top to bottom equal to one page of music so that the entire page of music may be photographed in one operation.

In order to provide an improved note character which is capable. of being photographed and registering on a negative, and at the same time may be adjusted in any desired manner on the staff board 20, I have provided, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, a note character which embodies a base part 32, having disposed on its upper longitudinal edge a key 33 and a stop 34 at one end of the key 33. A note element, including a head 35 and a stem 36 is adapted to removably engage the base member 32, being provided with a keyway 37 in the lower side of the stem 36 for engagement with the key 33.

The stem 35 is also provided on its upper side with a longitudinally extending key 38. A plurality of laterally extending staff line indicating members 39 extend from opposite sides of the base member 32. These staff line indicating members 39 are also formed with upwardly offset outer end portions 4!! on the side of the base member 32 so that at least two members may 1 the-lower side thereof.

be disposed in closely adjacent position with s the staff line indicating members 39 of one note relative to'the stem 36 and secured thereto by the correlated locking means including the key 38 and keyway'42. I

A flag or laterally projecting note modifying member extends from one side of the bar attach: ing member 4|. This flag may be upwardly or longitudinally curved, as shown in Figure 3,

for the purpose of designating the fractional character of the note. a

The head 35 is provided at its outer end with a small key 44 so that a further note modifying or indicating element may be attached to the note, being positioned closely adjacent thereto. As an example of a note modifying element which may be secured either to the stem of the note or to the head thereof on the key 44, there is disclosed in Figure l, a note modifying character 45 which is formed with a laterally projecting extension 46 having a short bar 4! formed with a keyway for engagement either on the key 38 or on the key 44.

In Figures 1 and 5 there is disclosed an expression character generally designated as 48, constructed in the form of a V, which has a laterally projecting stem 49 extending from one side thereof and formed with a key 50 for engagement in the keyway of anote character. In order to provide a means whereby the note characters and the modifying or identifying elements may be adjustably secured to the metal strips 24, the

base member 32 is provided with a plurality of permanent magnets 5| which will magnetically hold the base member 32 in any adjusted position relative to the staff board 20.

they may be positioned at selected points on the staff board 20. As shown in Figure 2, the staff line indicating members 39 are provided with positioning pins or lugs 52 which are adapted to engage in the spaces 21 between the metal strips In this manner when the note character is positioned withoneor more of the staff line members 39 within the staff, the line members I '39 will merge on the photographic film with the white coating 3l, whereas. the line members 39 when either above or below the stafi will register independently and'show the correct the note with respectto the staff. e

We have provided separate characters generally designated as 53 which are disconnected i As shown in Figurel, the character 53 is a sharp designating character and it will be understood that a fiat designating char- 'acter formed in the conventionalmanner'may also be used'and formed-after the mannerof 1 from the notes.

this .invention.

The character 45 is a natural designating character and this character is also formed with permanent magnets 54 (See Figs. 1 and 15), on the lower side thereof for mounting the character 45 more securel on the staff board 20. The character 53 will be formed similar to the character 45 by embedding A time designating character 55, and a'clef character 56 are adapted to be formed after the conventional manner of indicating the time of the music and the treble clef, and the lower side of each member is provided with at least one pair of permanent magnets 51, as shown in Figure 11.

tion with respect to the staff.

A longitudinally curved tie or slur character generally designated as 59 is-shown in Figures '1, 9, and 10. This tie member 59 is constructed in the form of a pair of elongated bars 60 and M I 'formed at one end thereof with a curved exteni sion 62 and 63 respectively. The bars 60 and 6| areformed with correlated locking means in the form of a key 64 on the bar 60, and a keyway65 in the lower sideof the bar 6|. Per- 1 position of r;-

permanent magnets in f Positioning pins 58 extend from the lower side of the time designating member 55" for disposing the member 55 in the proper posi 1? manent magnets 66 are carried by the lower side of the curved extension Gland permanent. magnets 61 arecarried bythelowers'ide of the curved extension 63. By providingthe sliding connection in the form of the key and keyway, thebars 60 and BI may be lengthwise adjusted to'the desired degree. I

-Where two or more notes are connected together on the ends of the stems thereof, the coimectin'g bar which is-similar to a flag in shortening the note value is pivotally connected between the stems, as shown in Figure 13. The stems of a pair of notes engage with parts 68 which are formed with downwardly extending pins 69 and a connecting bar pivotally engages the pins 69.

An apertured magnet H is fixed on the lower extended end of each pin 69 and provides the means for holding the connecting bar ID on the lower ends of the note stems. There may be two or more of these connecting bars NJ, as shown at Ma and Hlb in Figure 1, and another laterally extending connecting bar 12 may be coupled to the connecting bar 10, the latter being formed with a keyway within which a key 13 carried by the connecting bar 12 is adapted to engage.

A crescendo character generally designated as 14 and shown in Figure 1 may be adjustably positioned on the staff member 20. This crescendo character includes a pair of pivotally connected bars 15 formed with keys IE on which extensible bars 11 are adapted to adjustably engage. The bars 11 may also be provided with further extensions in the form of extension bars E8 (Fig. 17) having keyways 19 engaging on the keys of each bar extension 11.

The lyrics may also be adjustably disposed on the staff board 20, the lyrics being formed by separate alphabetical characters 80 mounted on a plate M to facilitate spacing, and the plate BI is provided with a permanent magnet 82 for magnetic engagement with the metal side of the staff board 20. The plate 8| may also be provided with positioning lugs to facilitate mounting the character 80 on the staff board.

The note characters and modifying elements herein disclosed are preferably made of plastic or non-magnetic material and may be made either white for imposing on a black metal panel, or may be made black for imposing on a white panel. If desired, and as shown in Figure 14, the note characters may be formed of colored plastic indicated at 33. As shown in Figure 14, a modifying character in the form of a dot 84 is carried by the character 83, being attached to the character 83 by means of an L-shaped securing member 85, the color of member 85 being such that it will not register on a photographic negative.

In the use and operation of this invention, the notes are placed on the staff board 20 in their proper positions with respect to the staff indicated by the white lines 86 in Figure 1, and which represent the white surfaces 3| of the staff rods 28. The five lines making up the staif may be disposed at any desired position on the board 20, and the note characters and modifying elements may then be laid on the metal strips. The magnets carried by the characters will securely hold these characters or elements in their proper positions so that the board may be disposed in either a horizontal, vertical, or other inclined position for photographic purposes.

By providing a variable staff indicating means there is provided means whereby the music may be transposed from one key to the other. This We, do not mean to confine ourselves to :th I

exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim allvariations falling within the purview of the; appended claims.

What we claim is l. A musical character supporting member for photographic printing comprising a board member formed with parallel spaced and lengthwise extending channels, an elongated rod rotatably disposed in each channel, said rod having a coating on a portion of the circumference thereof adapted to register on a photographic film and having a non-photographing coating on the remaining portion of the circumference thereof.

2. A musical character supporting member for photographic printing comprising a board member formed with parallel spaced and lengthwise extending channels, an elongated rod rotatably disposed in each channel, said rod having a coating on a portion of the circumference thereof adapted to register on a photographic film and having a non-photographing coating on the remaining portion of the circumference thereof, and means at one end of each rod for rotatably adjusting the latter.

3. A musical character member for photographic printing comprising, a pair of note members each formed of a head and a stern part, an extension member for said stem part, correlated securing means carried by said stem parts and said extension members for securing said stem part and said extension members together, a tie bar, and means pivotally securing said tie bar to said extension members.

4. A musical character member for photographic printing comprising, a pair of note members each formed of a head and a stern part, an extension member for said stern part, correlated securing means carried by said stem parts and said extension members for securing said stem part and said extension members together, a tie bar, and means pivotally securing said tie bar to said extension members, said latter named means including a pair of permanent magnets for magnetically securing said extension members to a metal board or panel.

5. Apparatus adapted to be photographed in musical photographic printing comprising a board member, coated stafi forming rods rotatably carried by said board along the length thereof, character members including a head, a stem on said head including a plurality of stem sections extensibly connected to adjacent stem sections, and musical note time modifying members on certain of said stem sections, and means carried by said character members detachably se-- curing said character members on said board.

6. A musical character member adapted to be photographed in photographic printing comprising a note member formed with a head and a stem, said stem including a plurality of separable sections, each of said sections formed with a head on one side thereof and a groove on the other side for sliding engagement with a correlated bead and groove on an adjacent section, and musical indicia carried by said stem sections.

JOHN VICTOR. WALKER K. VICTOR.

(References on following page) REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Day Feb. 18, 1930 10 Number Number Name Date Alles Sept. 27, 1932 Cohen Oct. 6, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany July 24, 1909 Great Britain Nov. 18, 1929 France Jan. 4, 1924 France Oct. 4, 1937 

